Judge who let Brady play offers his congratulations on Super Bowl win

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady leaves federal court after appealing the National Football League's (NFL) decision to suspend him for four games of the 2015 season on August 12, 2015 in New York City. The NFL alleges that Brady knew footballs used in one of last season's games was deflated below league standards, making it easier to handle. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Judge who let Brady play offers his congratulations on Super Bowl win

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady leaves federal court after appealing the National Football League's (NFL) decision to suspend him for four games of the 2015 season on August 12, 2015 in New York City. The NFL alleges that Brady knew footballs used in one of last season's games was deflated below league standards, making it easier to handle. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan made the comment Monday in an email to The Associated Press.

Berman nullified Tom Brady’s four-game suspension in 2015, finding that the NFL had overstepped in its investigation of New England’s quarterback. The suspension resulted from claims the Patriots deflated footballs to gain a competitive advantage.

A federal appeals panel reversed Berman’s decision. Brady served the suspension at the start of the season capped by Sunday’s 34-28 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons.

Berman offered his congratulations to the Patriots, saying they showed “us all never to quit, everything is possible, and the importance of teamwork.”